Cowen Partners Executive Search News & Insights

Private equity firms have long been sources of investment for startup companies and organizations seeking to scale their operations. However, another investor — the family office — is growing increasingly present in the business landscape.  Family offices typically accumulate large amounts of capital, especially if they’ve been running strong for several generations. They use that

The past three years have been rocky, to say the least. Macroeconomic shocks affected by a global pandemic, large-scale riots and protests, and Russia’s war in Ukraine, have changed expectations for the role of a CEO.  Other factors, such as the shift to remote work, the reopening of offices, and a mass wave of resignations

Family-run businesses make up a significant portion of the American economy. According to the most recent census, more than 8 million independently owned businesses with fewer than 500 employees operate in the United States.  Unlike major corporations that often have extensive succession plans, small businesses must make choices as their owners near retirement. They must

The last few years in the hiring market have been full of ups and downs and many changes to work as we know it. We’ve seen a trend toward more remote work during and in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year was particularly tough for executive searches, as many companies engaged in executive

As a family business owner, you’ve likely given your heart and soul to building and running your organization.  Whether you started from scratch or inherited the company from a parent or other relative, you know the ins and outs of your operation. You might have plans to scale your business for future growth or pass

Family-owned businesses tend to fly under the radar – they typically receive less industry scrutiny than large Plc’s and big tech. But their enormous economic impact, estimated at over 70% of global GDP, means that being an operator in these companies is often as challenging an assignment as one can find in any global Plc. 

The Need  One of the east coast’s largest multi family real estate companies, Beacon Communities based in Boston, was in need of a highly experienced President of Property Management when a long term executive of the company announced their retirement. This position was highly transformative, overseeing seven regional SVPs, a growing portfolio of 140 diverse

As a business owner or executive, you want to ensure you have the right talent available to support company needs. While you may have a human resources manager or similar person to assist you with your hiring needs, at times, it may be best to bring on an interim CHRO. An interim CHRO can take

The Need  As the nation’s first consumer lending platform for solar energy, Sungage’s proprietary platform was scaling quickly and the CEO needed to diversify their capital sources to the fuel the rapidly growing residential solar loan program while providing consumers the most competitive rates available. The Solution Working with the CEO and executive staff, Cowen

The following articles stand out as the most searched and read from the many articles our national executive search firm published in 2022. The most widely read articles focused on executive development, tackling a looming recession, and a return to office. See below for our top articles and a summary of each.  How Public Companies

Cowen Partners is a national CFO search firm, driven to create value for our clients, and we have a long-standing record of placing exceptionally qualified Chief Financial Officers across all industries. In this post, we highlight the average CFO salary for both public and private companies based on revenue size. Other variables apply, such as location and industry. CFO Bonuses

Marketing has seen some significant changes over the past few decades. As the internet has become a prime source of communication worldwide, fewer companies are investing in traditional marketing methods like commercials and print advertisements.  Instead, they funnel their money into digital marketing activities such as social media, informational content, and ad placement through search

As tech executives close the door on 2022 and welcome 2023, it’s critical to keep an eye on the changing business landscape.  Last year brought numerous developments that are still evolving and will likely continue to affect companies over the next 12 months. A few include the potential for a recession, the increasing desire for

The start of a new year typically gives rise to excitement and the potential for change, and 2023 is no different. After several years of massive challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain difficulties, the rise of DE&I initiatives, and economic uncertainty, organizations are wondering what to expect in 2023.  Unfortunately, there are adverse remnants

The year 2022 will be remembered for numerous events, including the war between Russia and Ukraine, a subsequent severe rise in inflation, and ever-increasing interest rates. CEOs took on many extra responsibilities, including buffering their companies from a potential recession and protecting their supply chains. The verdict is still out on the current state of

You’ve likely heard news reports of a potential recession in 2023. Some economists believe it’s already here, as inflation is through the roof and companies have begun major employee layoffs.  The federal government has stepped in to cool down a hot economy, raising interest rates several times during 2022. Those interest rate increases will make

CFOs are tasked with the overall financial health of an organization. Their work ensures that a company remains financially stable, even in tough economic times. In 2023, the CFO’s job will become even more complex as we face a possible recession. News of a potential slowdown in 2022 led to inflation rates unseen since the

When you think of a chief product officer, you likely picture them standing in front of a whiteboard, surrounded by analysts and their customer service team, seeking to arrive at the next big idea for their organization. While that image is likely accurate, more goes into creating a product than simply coming up with an

Marketing leaders can play a vital role in any C-suite, innovating and managing essential strategies while overseeing critical decisions, motivating teams, and achieving the best possible results and ROIs from a company’s marketing efforts. In fact, companies with the right marketing leaders in the right roles can establish themselves as thought leaders all while maximizing

Sales leaders can be an integral part of any C-suite, devising critical strategies, making key decisions, motivating teams, and paving the way to achieve an organization’s financial goals. In fact, companies with the right sales leaders in the right roles can achieve higher win-loss ratios while seeing sales team turnover drop and revenues increase. That’s

As the transition into 2023 begins, it’s essential to note the changing business landscape witnessed in 2022.  For those in the C-Suite, last year was rife with challenges. Executives dealt with supply chain issues that impacted large swathes of the economy, rising inflation that increased costs across the board, and a sudden war that arose

Cultural fit interview questions are all about finding candidates who will be a good fit for your company’s corporate culture. It’s important to remember that hiring for cultural fit is different from hiring for a skillset. You may want to consider this when designing interviews and deciding what questions to ask. A good hiring manager

Cowen Partners, a leader among the nation’s best executive search firms, has announced the winners of its 2023 Best-of Awards Program for personality tests. They have rounded up the best personality tests for employers to identify top job candidates, all while working remotely and avoiding face to face interviews. Are you still interviewing and on

How Private Equity Leaders Power C-Suite Success Private equity leaders are integral to the success of C-suites and organizations, making critical decisions, devising key investment strategies, and driving better performance and greater growth that aligns with a company’s long-term strategies and big-picture objectives. With the right private equity leaders in the right roles, businesses can

Private equity has long been a fast way to earn quick, massive returns on investment. Private equity firms invest in undervalued or underperforming companies and seek to make significant changes to their operations, often leading to dramatic results.  With the right company and strategic decisions, private equity firms can realize their return within two to

In today’s competitive environment, the road to management — the C-suite — is often unclear. How do people get the jobs at the top? What skills and qualities do leaders have that set them apart from everyone else?  Identifying what it takes to get to the top of a company isn’t always straightforward. The necessary

Executives have busy schedules that often revolve around meetings and interviews. They interview potential new hires, discuss daily affairs with senior leadership, and meet with potential clients, vendors, or investors. Each meeting or interview has a purpose; failing to understand that purpose and plan for it results in a useless waste of time. To make

Innovation is paramount to anyone seeking to implement positive change in their personal life, company, or community. Through innovation, people seek creative ways to solve complex problems and push society forward.  Some innovations result in only minor changes, like a few minutes saved in our day, while others have long-lasting positive consequences, like finding a

Executive compensation is often a hot topic around the boardroom table. Ideally, the board wants to ensure that its executives receive fair compensation for their efforts but also have a special incentive to reach specific goals for the company’s growth.  A poorly designed executive compensation package can result in management leaving for greener pastures or

There are several common questions you’ll hear if you’re on the lookout for a new job. Alongside such typical inquiries as “Tell me about yourself” and “Where do you see yourself five years from now?” comes this one: “Why do you want to work here?” While you might have heard lots of advice on answering

All the red flags indicating a looming recession are up. Inflation is increasing, interest rates are sky-high, and mass layoffs have begun.  Over the last few months, we’ve seen 11,000 people dismissed from Meta, 14% of the workforce cut at Stripe, and 550 employees dismissed from Opendoor Technologies. Twitter, Amazon, Zillow, and Disney announced their

The chief of staff role is common in the military and government. It’s usually a very prominent role, and the people who fill it act as advisors to top military brass and high-level government officials.  The role is not quite as common among civilian organizations, but that may be changing. What exactly is a chief

Lots of effort goes into looking for a new job. You’ll need to take a sharp pen to your resume, prepare cover letters, undergo the interview process, and potentially take a few tests. Ideally, you’re searching for a company offering a role in your desired career path that also provides an excellent benefits package. However,

Private equity firms look for companies that have the potential to grow much bigger than their current size. For whatever reason, the existing company isn’t maximizing its full capabilities. Many times, the problems are financial.  With an additional monetary boost and qualified advice, these organizations can increase their market share and meet growth expectations. In

Finding workers in a highly competitive environment is challenging. Companies struggle to fill jobs in all roles, from entry-level to executives. Matching open positions with the right talent is an ever-present concern. Organizations want to ensure they spend their money on people who will stay in the role and contribute to the company’s success. More

The Need Paradigm, the world’s largest Web3, Crypto, and Blockchain venture capital firm needed to address the evolving crypto and blockchain tax climate for their funds and portfolio companies globally. Cowen Partners Executive Search was identified as a strategic partner due to our deep understanding of global tax, tax laws, lobbying, and venture capital. The

The Need BOMA is a U.S nonprofit organization and Kenyan NGO that provide the people and governments of Africa’s drylands with economic inclusion programs that increase resilience to multiple crises. BOMA retained Cowen Partners to find a Chief of Staff reporting into the CEO. BOMA is implementing a new strategic growth plan and needed a

Corporate culture may seem like a buzzword, but it’s not. Just like a country, city, or family, every organization has its own culture that defines it. Executives seeking to define their corporate culture must do so thoughtfully and carefully.  A company’s culture includes its encompassing goals, vision for the future, and shared beliefs. While leaders

Company executives are always seeking to improve business performance and operations. After all, continued success reaps financial benefits, pleasing customers and investors.  However, senior leadership knows that concentrating on a single performance measurement, or even on a particular division, isn’t enough to drive performance. Instead, executives must take a holistic approach to success. They can

Many leaders espouse the benefits of a growth mindset, but they may not employ one in their own lives. People with a growth mindset genuinely want to expand their knowledge and are open to opportunities. Too often, people believe they have a growth mindset but suffer from a fixed mindset, where they struggle to overcome

Asking questions is a part of life. You likely ask questions when you order food or want to learn more about your children’s day at school.  Some professionals, like doctors and lawyers, are trained to ask questions: Although of a different nature, business managers must ask their staff and colleagues questions to keep daily operations

Alpha males tend to dominate executive roles and senior leadership positions. These men have high levels of confidence and are usually very intelligent. They use their sharp decision-making skills to drive organizational performance and manage their employees, often with an iron fist. Pros vs. Cons of the Alpha Male in the C-Suite We’d be hard-pressed

If you were to ask someone if they felt they were self-aware, they’d most likely say they were. However, self-awareness is actually a rare trait. According to a recent study, only 10-15% of the population possesses self-awareness. Many people don’t realize what self-awareness really is. They may be reflective and curious about their personality and

People often imagine venture capital investors as economically endowed heroes coming to the rescue of fledgling startups. The venture capitalist provides the money and mentors the founder, and the company grows exponentially in just a few short years. But in practice, venture capital works quite differently. Most venture capitalists are firms created and controlled by

The idea of giving a speech or presentation to a crowd often sparks high levels of fear, even in the most confident people. There’s something about standing in front of large groups that gives rise to our most hidden self-doubts: Will they listen to me? Is my talk boring? What if my mind goes blank

Thousands of businesses use the services of a consultant each year. Often, they seek help for challenging organizational problems like declining revenues or poor employee satisfaction. While some consulting arrangements lead to successful outcomes and new opportunities, others waste time, money, and effort. To ensure that your organization gets the most out of its next

Entrepreneurs face many pressures as the owners and leaders of organizations. In times of economic downturn, stress increases as revenues decline and funding dries up. Other problems, like poor product reception or difficulties deciding on the strategic direction of an organization, can also cause issues. Instead of giving in to the worst aspects of their

Countless books, movies, articles, and podcasts seek to uncover the secrets to becoming a good leader. But they so often fail to provide practical guidance.  Some focus on describing characteristics of leaders in large companies, like Steve Jobs of Apple or Mark Zuckerberg of Meta. Biographical character studies can be interesting; however, anecdotes about a

You may be interviewing with multiple companies if you’re in the market for a new job. At some point, you’ll receive an offer for a new role. However, before accepting the job, you’ll want to ensure that the position is right for you and offers fair compensation for your efforts. Knowing how to negotiate your

The economy has been a regular topic of conversation throughout 2022. Despite ongoing job growth, inflation is at a 30-year high. The Fed is engaged in a battle to fight a recession and continuing inflation by increasing interest rates, but so far, their actions haven’t been enough to tamp down rising prices. Companies are well

When it comes time to leave a position you’ve held for several years, you may wonder whether you need to write a resignation letter. After all, you’ve likely already told your boss and colleagues you’re leaving. So, is there any reason you need to document your transition further? Writing a resignation letter isn’t like writing

Job interviews are an excellent way for potential employees and employers to get to know one another. You should think of them as a two-way street: they’re assessing how well you’d perform in a role, while you should be determining whether the position and the company are a good fit for you. Rather than being

In the 1970s, psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes created a theory that women were plagued in the workplace by a condition known as imposter syndrome. They believed that women with imposter syndrome believed that they weren’t intelligent or capable at work, even if they had a reputable education and skill set. The findings

As surging interest rates battle against 40-year high inflation, sales teams face the growing prospect of selling in a downturn.  Naturally, recessions hardly feel great for business, especially when you’re in sales. Warm prospects may rapidly cool during this period, and previously receptive leads may postpone buying decisions until after the slump or pull out

According to Gartner, organizations enjoy their best sales growth avenues from existing customers. They can unlock greater revenue and cross-sell/upsell opportunities by maximizing business with existing customers. The statistics are clear – companies are 6-7 times more likely to gain a new sale from an existing customer, compared to an only 5%-20% likelihood of closing

Chief operating officers (COOs) are forward-thinking corporate executives who can see the big picture from a great distance and develop strategic plans to take advantage of business opportunities and position the company for success. The chief operating officer (COO) is responsible for managing the organization’s administrative, operational, and management procedures and keeping all levels of

At the risk of stating the obvious, it might be essential to start with the fact that buyers want to be understood in today’s marketplace. Historically, this was not always so. At some point in time, buyers were content with basics like quality service and fair pricing. These days, modern buyers have higher expectations for

CFOs play a pivotal role in driving revenue growth in organizations as they sit at the center of all financial operations in the organization. Because of this specific role, it is conceived by many that CFOs have little business with revenue. However, CFOs, in essence, are not merely bean counters concerned with cutting costs. They

A private equity firm often seeks to enhance its return on investment by revamping the executive team. When a private equity firm takes majority control of an organization, it can implement strategic decisions that alter the company’s short- and long-term vision. Choosing a new private equity CEO isn’t easy. PE firms must find someone who:

New CHROs tend to get excited about their roles because they have the opportunity to revamp an organization’s human resource function, implement new benefits solutions, and bring new life to a company. Some CHROs fill an existing position, while others join the organization in a completely new role. Whether you’re the newest member of an

Hiring a new employee is a significant expense. You want to make sure that your new worker has the hard and soft skills to meet your needs. If you make a mistake, your organization can lose money. The productivity of your other employees can decline, and you may face challenges in the working environment. A

After two-and-a-half years of working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, most workers are unwilling to return to the office full time. According to a McKinsey survey, 87% of employees who have the option to work remotely at least part of the time take it.  The same survey notes that 21% of job hunters are

As a business owner or senior manager, you’re already familiar with using salary and benefits packages to attract and retain employees. However, you might not have heard of total rewards packages.  Essentially, total rewards encompass a combination of tangible and intangible benefits. Rather than concentrating on the standard compensation of salary, health care, and vacation

Stepping into a new role as CMO is an exciting time. You’ll be joining an organization you’re likely unfamiliar with and given the task of growing revenues and expanding market reach.  You must have a plan in place for your first days on the job. While you may not make significant organizational changes in your

Organizational strategy isn’t always clear, especially regarding product management. Many employees contribute to the final development and sale of a company’s product, including engineering, technology, and marketing teams.  Organizations can define their product management structure, allowing teams to focus on specific aspects of product development. A simplified management structure encourages teams to work together without

Organizations want to hold on to their employees. Employees are the lifeblood of a company, and managers spend lots of time training them to produce results and meet business objectives.  When employees leave an organization, they take their knowledge and skills with them. Managers then have to find new people to fill their roles and

The millennial generation consists of people born between 1981 and 1996. It’s the largest age group in America today, consisting of approximately 72 million people, roughly 24% of the U.S. population.  Millennials are the first generation to grow up without the heavy drumbeats of war, poverty, and discrimination that prior forebears experienced. The Silent Generation,

Amid the Federal Reserve’s implacable rate hikes targeted at rising inflation, corporations and small businesses across the US are increasingly tightening belts at the prospect of a coming recession. While a recession, much like the seasons, is a natural phase in the lifecycle of any economy, it can spell difficult times for companies and consumers

Amid an increasingly uncertain commercial landscape, many companies find their business threatened or on the brink of failure. Various factors may be at play here, from a rapidly evolving market to poor performance or a failing business model, but they all carry the same bottom line for companies – change or die.  Businesses in this

By now, public health concerns have largely diminished, giving companies the “all-clear” to return to a regular workday. But many companies are finding that easier said than done.  According to at least one recent survey, nearly two out of three (64%) remote workers would prefer to quit rather than return to the office. Managers find

During the 2020 pandemic, American workers got a taste for remote work. But even when things returned to normal, the workplace didn’t.  Not only has remote work exploded in the American workforce, but researchers from the University of Chicago believe that by 2030, between 50 and 80 million of the world’s desk jobs will transition

American companies face a looming challenge when it comes to filling executive positions.  According to the career site Monster.com, 75 million baby boomers are expected to retire in the coming years. Given that many of these seasoned employees occupied C-level positions, hiring managers will need to consider their executive recruiting strategies for the years ahead. 

Cyberattacks are no longer the exclusive domain of the chief information security officer (CISO). In fact, cyberattacks have become the leading business risk. Survey data from PWC shows that 40% of respondents list “more frequent and/or broader cyberattacks” as a serious risk. Another 38% call these attacks a moderate risk.  Managing these threats will require

Technology plays a critical role in a variety of industries, which naturally raises concerns about security. It’s no surprise that the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) has become one of today’s most sought-after and well-compensated tech positions.  A CISO’s salary is based on the evolving roles that these professionals play. The following discussion unpacks salary

The roles of chief information security officer (CISO) and chief information officer (CIO) often run in parallel — so much so that until recently, the CISO would customarily report directly to the CIO.  But recent changes have shifted the CISO reporting structure. Now, CISOs have a range of other reporting pathways, often customized to a

There are a lot of factors to consider when finding the right CEO for your company. Generally speaking, the most critical factor is finding someone with the right skill set and experience, but you also need to ensure they’re a good fit for your company’s culture and vision.  As you decide who the right person

A successful CFO candidate synthesizes old-school accounting with new-age technologies to successfully lead the CU toward a better bottom line. Credit Union Times | By Shawn Cole, Cowen Partners Executive Search With increased market volatility and advancing digital infrastructures appearing across all industries, credit unions, traditionally regional and relatively conservative financial institutions, are emerging as

Executive search firms are companies that specialize in finding and placing senior-level executives, usually in upper management positions. Their roles include candidate sourcing, assessment, placement, and managing the entire recruitment process on behalf of their clients, which commonly include nonprofit organizations.  In addition to these main roles, executive search firms often provide additional services such

Credit union leaders must adapt to a new era in which members expect more from their credit unions. They must be prepared for this changing landscape and the challenges that come with it.  While navigating in an increasingly complex regulatory environment, credit union leaders also need to find the right ways to engage their members

Although the role of chief marketing officer (CMO) has existed only for approximately 30 years, the job descriptions of modern CMOs are starkly different than those of professionals in the 1990s.  The CMOs of the most recent generation certainly provide their brands with world-class expertise and a prowess for increasing online visibility, but now they

As a startup founder, you could be making any of your first hires soon. If you’re doing well and can afford to hire an experienced executive, they could be a great asset to your company. But… What kind of executive should it be? A CEO, COO, or President? How do you define the role and

Private equity, venture capital, and the curating of executive talent have an inherent synergy between them. All of these groups know that human capital represents the key driver of long-term value creation and financial performance. As private equity grows to all-time highs by any metric one chooses to use – closed deals, new funds, number

Intentional hiring is the practice of developing a clear understanding of what you are looking for in a candidate before you start to hire. It allows you to actively seek out the best possible candidate, instead of passively accepting whoever applies for the position. Intentional hiring gives you control over your hiring process, rather than

What if you could hire a person who has been in your industry for many years or who has successfully scaled a business like yours to the highest level? How long would it take you to accomplish those same goals?  The answer is simple — you could get there much faster than if you hire

As a headhunter, I’m looking to find your most talented employees and get them into promotions and better-paying positions with my clients. I look for candidates with a solid work history and set of skills, and I seek to match them with the compensation and benefits that they deserve. If I don’t scare you, the

Hiring is one of the most difficult things you will ever do as a business owner, but it’s also one of the most important. A bad hire can cost your business money, time, and resources that you don’t have. However, if you want to be successful at hiring highly-qualified people to take your business further,

This report presents the findings of our study of the 264 CFO transitions in the first half of 2022 at the Fortune 500 and notable companies as of July 22, 2022. Individuals included in this study obtained a new CFO position within the 2022 year at a Fortune 500 company or a company of note.

Written by Bruce Henry, Healthcare Executive Search Practice Leader Hospital CEOs are the heartbeat of their organizations. They are responsible for leading and managing an entire team as well as an organization’s finances and operations. As a result, hospital CEOs must possess a diverse set of skills to be successful in their roles. Here are

Written by Bruce Henry, Healthcare Executive Search Practice Leader Healthcare is a complex industry with many moving parts and stakeholders. The CFO plays an essential role in the success of any health system and can be the difference between success and failure.  Healthcare CFOs are in high demand as the industry continues to grow and

There’s no doubt that CMOs offer a lot to organizations. Their marketing expertise and understanding of customer behavior are often enough to propel a new business or startup company to new revenue heights.  However, small businesses and startups often lack available funds, and this prevents them from attracting the most experienced marketing minds to their

Revenue is the key driver behind the success of a business. Without revenue, a company stagnates and will eventually run out of money to pay its bills and the salaries of its VP sales, CRO, and other sales employees.  Thus, once a company grows beyond a basic startup mentality and needs to scale its revenue,

The COO role is often one of an organization’s most misunderstood executive positions. While the responsibilities of a CEO or CFO don’t vary too much from one company to another, the COO’s oversight can differ tremendously.  Oftentimes, a COO’s responsibilities overlap those of other executives, leaving executives and employees confused about whom to ask for

The Wall Street Journal published a list of the five highest-paid CFO’s late last year. The list cited high power executives, including: These numbers are a far cry from the national average CFO salary. According to Payscale, the average CFO will receive a salary of $133,000.00.  Regardless of the total dollar amount, however, we must delineate salary

When you hire a CEO, you’re not just looking for someone who can run your company — you’re looking for someone who can make it more successful. The best CEOs are passionate about their work, have great management skills, and are good at building teams that work well together. There are many ways to find

Job interviews tend to be nerve-racking experiences. You know you have the skills and expertise to execute the role, but you must sell yourself to your interviewer. Unless you have an innate ability to handle job interviews like a pro, it pays to prepare for your next interview. Studying typical job interview questions is a

Today’s CEOs need to be ready for anything. The global pandemic has brought about a new era of uncertainty for business leaders and their teams as they attempt to navigate an increasingly complex environment full of new risks, challenges, and opportunities. In this article, we’re going to take a look at the top six characteristics

The world is changing. Before the pandemic, the main hiring factor for new CEOs was their efficiency and ability to achieve objectives. In a fast-paced environment, the right person could be counted on to make the right decisions and deliver results. They had strong track records, large networks, and impressive degrees from prestigious schools. They

It takes an exceptional person to lead an institution that truly belongs to its members. What makes a great credit union CEO? The answer is not as simple as you might think – it’s not just about having the right skill set or experience. As with any business, a CEO has to have the necessary

As the captain of a company’s marketing efforts, the CMO role has many responsibilities, including overseeing a marketing team. Choosing and hiring a CMO involves selecting someone with the knowledge and skills to succeed. Setting an appropriate salary and benefits package is not easy for most companies. While traditional, less senior marketing roles often have

Written by Thomas Paik, Human Resources, Diversity and Inclusion Practice Leader The CHRO role has been traditionally limited to hiring for open positions, designing compensation and benefits packages, and ensuring compliance of the company with federal and state hiring regulations. Until now, a CHRO’s responsibility for an organization has not been proactive but reactive —

There’s a famous saying — “It’s lonely at the top.” CEOs often find this saying true. In fact, a study by Harvard Business Review found that over half of CEOs feel lonely in their role, and 61% indicated that feelings of loneliness hinder their performance. As the individual with the most significant level of responsibility

When a private equity company chooses to invest in a growing company with potential, they often bring a new CEO on board to support their initiatives for the company. This move is intended to increase revenues and profits.  A new private equity CEO is often helpful for guiding the company in a new direction designed

Nowadays, with the rise of one-click job applications, writing a cover letter may seem unnecessary. However, cover letters are one of the best ways to get the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. If you write a compelling cover letter, you can stand out from other applicants and secure an interview. While you don’t always

CEO earnings vary widely and depend upon many different factors, including their location, their experience, and the type of industry they work for. SaaS CEOs are no different. A CEO salary survey in the SaaS industry can turn up a wide variety of base salary earnings — from $1 to over $900,000 per year.  On

Founding a startup is incredibly exciting. It’s almost like a new baby: lots of promise, years of hard work, and knowing that you’ll succeed in bringing something into the world that will make a positive impact. However, like parenting, startups are often clouded by cofounders and initial employees who bicker over who does what and

While the importance of cybersecurity has long been known, companies have been slower to recognize the need for a cybersecurity strategist within their ranks. Many leaders assume that a solid cybersecurity plan is only required for businesses that house significant amounts of information on their customers, such as banks, the government, and tech powerhouses. However,

Cryptocurrency, Web3, NFTs, Blockchain and the metaverse have dominated financial news over the past few years. We saw the value of a single Bitcoin rise to a staggering $67K in November 2021 before crashing to $30K in June 2022. NFTs have earned endorsement from numerous commercial brands and celebrities, including Paris Hilton.  Those familiar with

CFOs rank among the highest-paid employees in the United States. Their responsibilities require them to lead the financial arm of a company’s operations and sometimes other departments. The compensation for a successful CFOs varies widely and depends on several different factors.  This article will examine the components that determine a typical CFO’s salary and the

Like other companies, credit unions face new challenges brought on by technology.  Technological development has soared over the past decade, and COVID-19 showed that many businesses could still maintain their operations, even when most of their employees were working from home.  Throughout the numerous lockdowns and social distancing restrictions, consumers became more accustomed to being

Owners of successful businesses must face the fact that eventually, they will retire. An appropriate succession plan can ease the disruption often caused when the company owner leaves. If the owner chooses to hand over the leadership reins to a family member, they must ensure that the succession is seamless.  Mistakes Made in Succession Planning

The last few years in the hiring market have been full of ups and downs and many changes to work as we know it. We’ve seen a trend toward more remote work during and in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year was particularly tough for executive searches, as many companies engaged in executive

Vice president (VP) of sales is a very focused executive position that typically requires a high level of education, experience, and leadership. In addition, VPs are phenomenal communicators who run point on big-picture tasks to set expectations early and often throughout the organization. It adds up to a lot of work for typically commensurate pay.

Account executives form the foundation of an entity’s sales team. They act as a liaison between clients and the company, more akin to a senior salesperson. They frequently have a wide range of skills, including marketing, communication, conflict resolution, empathy, and organizational skills. The account executives’ primary focus is on generating leads, completing sales, and

The Chief Legal Officer (CLO) and General Counsel (GC) are both lawyers and leaders in an organization — depending on your company’s size, you may have individuals hired into these roles already, or you may be seeking to create these positions within your business.  The differences between these two roles stem from their different functions

Having the “right personality” might have a bigger impact on your value in the workplace than you think. According to a study published by Psychological Science, an Association for Psychological Science journal, job candidates whose personalities “aligned” with a company’s expectations and ideologies earned higher salaries than those who the organization felt did not align. 

Cultural fit interview questions are all about finding candidates who will be a good fit for your company’s corporate culture. It’s important to remember that hiring for cultural fit is different from hiring for a skillset. You may want to consider this when designing interviews and deciding what questions to ask. A good hiring manager

When you’re hiring new employees, it’s important to ensure that they will fit into your company culture. A bad fit can cause problems in the workplace, so you should strive to hire only people who are a good match for your company. The first step in creating a strong culture is to understand what your

By Linda Devonish – Mills, CAE, CPA, CMA, MBA, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant Characteristics of an Inclusive Leader                     When conversations and emphasis on diversity practices began over 20 years ago, the acronym D & I, referring to diversity and inclusion, was popular. In recent years, it is not uncommon to see the acronym, I

As business environments become more complex and nuanced, more attorneys with formative years in public or private legal practice see themselves advancing their career in general counsel roles. The opportunity to do challenging work while leading a company’s legal department is typically a big draw and this, alongside the sizable executive benefits of the role,

Having a well-developed go-to-market (GTM) strategy is important in today’s business landscape. A GTM strategy is used to determine the best ways to engage with customers to inspire them to purchase your company’s products or services.  A thoroughly defined GTM strategy includes features related to pricing, sales and channels, product branding, and the introduction of

The chief marketing officer (CMO) is tasked with a wide array of responsibilities. They may oversee the strategic sales direction of the company, its marketing activities, and customer satisfaction.  However, studies have found that many CMOs don’t last long in their positions. Harvard Business Review found that over 57% of CMOs had been in their

CFOs have many varied responsibilities. Specifically, the chief financial officer must: Several new trends have popped up in recent years in the CFO boardroom, and one of these trends is using enhanced reporting techniques. One of the primary techniques is using key performance indicators (KPIs) to provide CFOs with metrics they can use to keep

By Linda Devonish – Mills, CAE, CPA, CMA, MBA, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant Unconscious Bias Is it possible for an organization to develop inclusive environments in the workplace if unconscious bias is present among colleagues? Probably not since everybody has biases that they may not be aware of. Anybody that thinks that they do

Recognizing acts of exclusion can help companies surmount the challenges of developing an inclusive workplace, concludes a new report by Cowen Partners. Microaggressions and unconscious bias are among the most common obstacles to real progress and true diversity and inclusion in any company culture. April 29, 2022 – Diverse and inclusive environments in the workplace should provide

Cowen Partners recently issued a study, Cowen Partners CFO Movement Study 2022. As a follow-up to the study, this paper presents a review of the literature on CFOs of color hiring trends, diving deeper into the how and why behind the statistics.  Here are some theories that may support the findings of the CFO Movement

Cowen Partners Executive Search outlines some of the trends our experienced executive recruiters are seeing in not only in demand positions, but the hurtles both clients and candidates have to overcome to succeed. “Decisions made today will need to be reconsidered within three months.” – Greg Becker, CEO of Silicon Valley Bank In the post-pandemic

By Linda Devonish – Mills, CAE, CPA, CMA, MBA, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant Conveying a DEI Message Through Marketing Communications Plans A key indicator of an organization’s success with its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy is cross – collaborative efforts between a Chief Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Officer (CDEIO) and other senior leaders. Should

By Linda Devonish – Mills, CAE, CPA, CMA, MBA, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant Strategic planning is a process where organizations define its strategy, direction and its decisions with a long-term view of where it wants to be. Strategic planning is the job of the senior management of any organization. Can Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Today, customers not only demand great products but great product experience. Consequently, firms are in a race to attract and retain the attention of paying customers, and a focus on customer success is central to this.  But unlike quantitative metrics like sales, revenue, and profit margins, customer success is a qualitative function. There is no

Written by Bruce Henry, Healthcare Executive Search Practice Leader The Chief Financial Officer provides leadership and direction to all financial departments for the overall fiscal responsibility of the hospital. Hospital CFO Responsibilities Hospital CFO Job Requirements Minimum Qualifications (Experience, Education & Special Certifications)  Key skills for hospital CFO candidates include: LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general

Written by Bruce Henry, Healthcare Executive Search Practice Leader Healthcare CEOs are in the unique position of being responsible for an organization that touches and affects the lives of millions of people. The healthcare sector has changed dramatically due to sweeping industry shifts and new government regulations. As a result, healthcare CEOs are facing new

The growth of SaaS companies has been astronomical over the past decade. As of 2021, the market value of companies in the SaaS industry was $145.5 billion. That number will continue to grow; by 2024, economists predict that revenue from SaaS will top $369 billion.  SaaS companies are benefiting from significant revenue streams from their

The Need Bi-Mart approached Cowen Partners about conducting a CEO search to replace their long time CEO. After nearly 40 years at Bi-Mart it was time to pass the baton and without any clear internal successor, they needed help finding a qualified outside CEO candidate. The Solution It was clear from early on that this

The Need Vicinity Energy, the nation’s largest district energy provider, had just been spun off from Veolia, one of the world’s largest public service providers, and they needed a CFO. Now owned by a French private equity group and with significant financial reporting, acquisitions, and integrations on the horizon, the CFO needed to have significant

The Need Ocean Beauty, one of the nation’s largest and most recognized seafood companies had just built a brand new, state-of-the-art processing facility when they retained Cowen Partners’ services to find a world class General Manager. The Solution Cowen Partners identified four highly-qualified candidates across the country, all of whom worked directly for the competition.

The Need Fast growing and privately held Consumer Edge is one of the nation’s leading providers of alternative data to the world’s largest hedge funds and consumer brands. Lead by its CEO and Chief Revenue Officer, the company contacted Cowen Partners to help build out enterprise sales, data partnerships, demand generation marketing, and finance functions.

The Need The largest privately owned coffee chain in the U.S., owned by TSG Consumer Capital, was rapidly scaling to go public and needed an experienced Chief Technology Officer to modernize the company’s information technology systems, including fulfillment, inventory, POS, app, and drive through systems, with the goal of supporting continued growth. Ultimately, they tasked

The Need One of the nation’s largest performance management and business analytics consultancies was having trouble identifying, retaining, and recruiting qualified sales leadership. The company had relied unsuccessfully on referrals, job ads, and third-party recruiters for years without success. Experiencing high turnover and declining revenue, eCapital Advisors retained Cowen Partners to recruit a new board

By Linda Devonish – Mills, CAE, CPA, CMA, MBA, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant Presence of Inclusive Environments in the Workplace Diverse and inclusive environments in the workplace should serve as a sense of normalcy for organizations’ operations. The benefits of establishing a diverse and inclusive workplace should be obvious, and they can include (but

Until recently, corporations hired business coaches as fixers who would come in, help meet a leadership gap or crisis, and then go on their way. But that attitude has changed dramatically within the last decade and a half.  Companies are now more proactive about their leadership needs and the difficulty of upscaling C-level skills to

Why Are They Essential to Companies’ Sustainability? By Linda Devonish – Mills, CAE, CPA, CMA, MBA, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant Various studies have consistently shown trends why it is essential for companies to create diverse teams: Companies these days often attribute their success in part to the development of diverse teams. Gender and ethnic

As the chief law officer in corporations, the Chief Counsel or General Counsel fulfills the role of principal attorney and primary legal adviser to the board and shareholders. While they frequently report directly to the CEO, the General Counsel’s job is to secure the company’s interests and protect it from operational legal risk.  With the

The complexity of today’s world has presented several obstacles for business executives. Engagement with individuals from diverse cultural origins and attitudes, for example, is a fundamental challenge for business leaders and managers. On the other hand, external difficulties that have arisen and continue to occur because of technology innovation have made it simpler to interact

Written by Bruce Henry, Healthcare Executive Search Practice Leader A hospital Chief Financial Officer is a highly qualified professional who can significantly impact your organization’s bottom line. The CFO plays an essential role in developing strategies for managing finances for the future and overseeing financial operations. To find the right person for this critical position,

Claiming modern technology has completely revolutionized how human beings conduct their activities would be an understatement. In truth, thanks to technology, almost every profession has gone digital, and consequently, their workers have to learn new ways of integrating technology into institutions. Adopting technology has made the world a big global village, making it possible to

Building the best team possible is about more than finding people who fit well together. A talented team consists of diverse individuals who all bring unique experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives to the table. However, building a diverse team of individuals is harder than many people realize. Poorly written job postings, unclear company values, and unknown

Sales is one of the most exhilarating and rewarding professions – but it can also be challenging, especially when you’re just starting out. Thankfully, fresh salespeople have many resources from which they can learn and grow as they begin their career.  In this article we’ve compiled a list of high-impact sales books that every sales

The Need Svetness Fitness, one of the fastest growing in home personal training companies in the United States, retained Cowen Partners to find their first Chief Operating Officer. Svetness was experiencing double digit growth and had obtained the capital, and expertise of a private equity group to expand operations and they needed a COO who could

The Need  Sciforma, an award-winning provider of portfolio and project management software, retained Cowen Partners to find a global leader of human resources. As Sciforma planned for future growth across the United States, Europe, and India, they needed a strategic HR Executive that could elevate the function and be a key business partner the executive team.  The Solution

The Need  ETR (Enterprise Technology Research) needed a General Counsel to support their enterprise sales team in negotiations with some of the world’s largest technology companies, be a data privacy compliance and regulatory planning subject matter expert, and a strategic business partner to the CEO and Board. The Solution Cowen Partners met with each of

When it comes to private equity firms, hiring the right CEO is, especially, important. He or she must be able to drive and deliver performance without exceeding a predefined time frame in order to maximize the crystallization of value at the end. However, according to research by Joe Hunt the majority of client stakeholders realize

Cowen Partners Executive Search believes that your employees should reflect the community they serve and consist of a variety of people, from different backgrounds and experiences. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategies are constantly evolving as companies draw correlations between workforce diversity, culture, innovations, community impact, and business results. Shawn Cole, President of Cowen Partners, says

The experienced marketing recruiters at Cowen Partners have a long-standing reputation for excellence when it comes to connecting companies with the brightest marketing minds in their industry. We are up to date on the latest marketing trends, strategies, best practices, and technologies, and we take great care while applying deep expertise to identify the best

There has been a significant rise in cyberattacks in recent times, which has raised the demand for talent in Cybersecurity even more. Recent reports have shown that there is an ever-growing gap in terms of supply and demand of workforce in Cybersecurity. In lieu of the recent cyberattacks, companies are struggling to hire top cybersecurity

Today, Google is one of the most popular companies to work for. Therefore, getting a job at the company is quite hard. Every year, more than two million people worldwide try to get a job at Google. When we look at the ratio from applications to hires we can see that only 0.2% of all

Finding the perfect fit for a private equity firm’s portfolio company Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is a laborious process. Most potential hires have impressive resumes and backgrounds ‎that initially make them seem like a good fit. Nevertheless, this rarely works out‎, evidenced by the high turnover among private equity CEOs. According to AlixPartners’ Annual Private

Chief Financial Officers (CFO) are increasingly vital to every business endeavor. In recent times, they have been on the front line in helping businesses transition to new ways of operation. Along the way, they are also finding opportunities to increase efficiency, boost productivity and ‎reduce costs. Recently, 72% of respondents in a survey by the

In a rapidly changing and often unpredictable business environment, companies need strong leadership now more than ever. These days, even the best companies with the most innovative strategies will struggle without the right person at the top. Thus, every company must be prepared to deal with leadership changes.  Leadership change is a constant in companies.

Written by Thomas Paik, Human Resources, Diversity and Inclusion Practice Leader How They Can Improve the Workplace in 2022 Recognizing the importance of human capital, companies are increasingly taking steps to create a better workplace environment for employees. Companies might go for the traditional Human Resource approach, hire a Chief People officer or go for

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and social and cultural issues like the Black Lives Matter Movement, the business landscape has changed drastically from what it used to be. There are new mountains to scale and valleys to cross, and businesses now require different qualities, characteristics, and skillsets from their C-suite executives. The following

The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role and what it entails have significantly changed over time. In the past, marketing was more of an immeasurable, trial-and-error endeavor, and CMOs were simply professionals who oversaw the marketing department and took orders from other executives. However, the business climate has changed tremendously. Advancements in technology have redefined marketing

By Shawn Cole, President Cowen Partners CFO Executive Search A Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is often a key employee for companies, whether at startup or later-stage pre-IPO firms. With their expertise in strategic management and financial accounting, they imbue companies with financial confidence, making them a safer bet for investors.  However, there’s fierce competition for

You’re a Software as a Service (SaaS) founder who is beginning to see success. With a product that is seeing encouraging user adoption, your retention rates are satisfactory, and there are promising signs of revenue growth. However, while these first green shoots of growth are exciting, it’s also an excellent time to ask certain questions,like:

As the global economy is beginning to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic and its repercussions, consumer behavior has changed drastically from what it used to be. The result of this is that traditional marketing techniques may not yield the desired results with the average prospective consumer.  As a result of this, companies need to

Hiring for executive roles isn’t easy, especially when a whole new sales leader is required to run parts of the organization. Since revenue is often the definer of how quickly a company can scale its growth, many businesses look for someone to lead the sales and revenue efforts.  In the past, the CEO often oversaw

Sales Managers are broadly in charge of planning, directing, managing, controlling, and executing all matters relating to sales and marketing functions in their organization. But what does this mean?  Simply, as a sales manager, you are in charge of staffing and directing a sales team and providing leadership toward achieving maximum profitability and growth in

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of accounting practices that result in providing a comprehensive accounting system, and for related support functions. This individual in the credit union CFO role also provides counsel to the President/CEO and Board of Directors regarding the credit union’s internal accounting, financial and

As the owner of a corporation, you must face the fact that, at some point, you’ll leave the business. Whether you wish to retire, want to try something else, or otherwise find yourself unable to run the company, having a proper exit strategy is essential.  While most business owners consider selling their enterprises to investors

Cowen Partners, a leader among the nation’s best executive search firms, has announced the winners of its 2022 Best-of Awards Program for personality tests. They have rounded up the best personality tests for employers to identify top job candidates, all while working remotely and avoiding face-to-face interviews. Are you still interviewing and on the hunt

The executive search industry is undergoing a transformation, and executive headhunters will find more success if they understand the trends that shape the future. The 2020s are shaping up to be a critical decade for the recruiting industry, with many factors contributing to changes in what it means to find the best executive talent. The

A successful CFO candidate synthesizes old-school accounting with new-age technologies to successfully lead the CU toward a better bottom line. With increased market volatility and advancing digital infrastructures appearing across all industries, credit unions, traditionally regional and relatively conservative financial institutions, are emerging as one of the most transitional and rapidly evolving subsets of the

The sheer amount of influence a Chief Executive Officer wields over a company makes it challenging to receive objective feedback. Therefore, a company must have a well-thought-out feedback mechanism in place. A well-designed and implemented CEO performance evaluation process can enable the board and the CEO to understand each other’s expectations clearly. Since CEO performance

The corporate case for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as well as representation and leadership at the board level is well established. Board quality is dependent on-board diversity. Diversity helps your company’s board avoid ‘groupthink’ and empowers them with diverse ideas and new approaches that help conquer future threats and embrace opportunities. Overwhelmingly, studies point

Written by Thomas Paik, Human Resources, Diversity and Inclusion Practice Leader What Is a CPO vs. a CHRO vs. a CAO? While companies increasingly recognize the importance of human capital, determining how best to nurture their people is less straightforward. Some take the tried and trusted Human Resource approach, leading with a Chief Human Resources

What is the opportunity cost of a poor hire? Although answers differ, from financial and time deficits to potentially dangerous culture and productivity lapses, one thing is sure – the cost is often steep and correcting a mishire can be just as pricey.  As a result, talent acquisition has emerged as a deliberate approach to

The ongoing pandemic has forced businesses to adapt to all sorts of consumer demands. The fintech industry, in particular, has seen a massive shift from traditional in-person checkout options to contactless card readers, online payment platforms, and more. While some pandemic restrictions may now be easing up, the push for more innovative financial technology has

By Ash Wendt, President Cowen Partners Executive Search 5 Insights from Top Executive Recruiters A chief marketing officer (CMO) is an essential role within any startup. The right CMO can build out your marketing team, improve brand awareness, and drive sales. Hiring for this role, however, can be a bit complicated, especially for startups. Many

Nowadays, it is easier to find a needle in a haystack than finding an experienced biotech Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The recent boom of biotech companies coupled with the required skill sets has caused the demand for a small group of qualified CFOs. These skill-sets include knowledge in life sciences and capital markets. Studies have

Many startups offer innovative and good products which are launched by qualified engineers, designers, or product managers. Those startups have great products and services to offer. However, they’re often lacking a successful sales team driven by effective sales strategies. The reason for this is simple — in many cases, startups don’t know much about sales

Businesses today are regularly under attack from cyber threats. Malware and other viruses are constantly searching for ways to infiltrate companies’ digital security and steal information. Larger businesses, in particular, are often targets of such malicious attacks and even the most prepared businesses can fall victim to these attacks. For example, according to the Center

Written by Thomas Paik, Human Resources, Diversity and Inclusion Practice Leader Historically, HR has garnered a reputation as a purely administrative function. Apart from the work they do in onboarding/offboarding talent and ensuring everyone toes the line, there’s often a temptation to see little else. In fact, some go so far as to tag HR

Employee values have taken precedence in today’s job search. A high salary and ample benefits are no longer enough to attract top candidates to a company. Now, a business needs to put people first not only through products and services but also through a diverse workplace. In fact, according to a 2020 survey by Glassdoor,

In the past, the role of chief financial officer was strictly a senior accountant tasked with crunching numbers. In today’s dynamic business world, the role of the CFO has evolved to into a strategic business partner. In fact, a survey found that 28 percent of participants said their CFO was focusing less on the financial

Heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) companies are in high demand by investors seeking to capture a share of the market. According to a recent report from Precedence Research, the HVAC market had an approximate value of $130 billion in 2021, which may grow to $206.89 billion by 2030. Owners of HVAC companies who are nearing

Written by Bruce Henry, Healthcare Executive Search Practice Leader The expectations and responsibilities of a hospital’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) have evolved dramatically over the past decade. In order to remain effective, CMOs have had to step into new roles and take on additional responsibilities. Physicians and hospital executives are encouraged to move from fee-for-service

To become the best in any industry, a company must hire employees who can become leaders. It is an essential phenomenon in most businesses since leaders show other employees how to assist a business in achieving their set targets and goals. Private equity firms are no different, and given the competition existing in the area,

If you’re a dentist nearing retirement age, you’re probably wondering how you’ll divest your practice and obtain the money you need for your golden years. The most obvious solution is to sell your practice to another dentist or a professional dental consolidation firm.  Unlike other businesses, dentists have limited options for selling their dental practice.

The renowned marketing executive recruiters at Cowen Partners have crafted this chief marketing officer (CMO) job description that you can use and customize. This CMO job description provides a strong foundation for nearly any CMO role — including (but not limited to) private equity CMOs, start-up CMOs, technology CMOs, retail CMOs, healthcare CMOs, and beyond.

About the Opportunity We are looking for an analytical general counsel to optimize our organizational efficiency regarding legal matters. The general counsel will examine and draft IT, employment, real estate and vendor contracts, manage copyrights and trademarks, and preserve business records such as minutes of meetings and resolutions. General counsel will be responsible for: The

Considering the dynamic commercial landscape of the past two years, it’s unsurprising that sales and marketing continue to be top of mind for our executive readers.  A common feature of the global economic recovery for companies has been a transition from in-person sales interactions and pipelines to a fully digital customer experience or a hybrid

Determining whether to sell a family business is a tough decision. In fact, whether you’re running a construction company, a dental practice, a software company, an HVAC company, or any other type of business, that company may be: However, keeping the business in the family isn’t always advantageous. Sometimes, family members don’t have the capabilities

As the global economy is beginning to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic and its repercussions, consumer behavior has changed drastically from what it used to be. The result of this is that traditional marketing techniques may not yield the desired results with the average prospective consumer.  As a result of this, companies need to

The private equity industry is currently the primary driver of growth at recruiting businesses across the United States. According to research group PitchBook, upwards of 40,000 deals involving venture capital or private equity funding, mergers or acquisitions were completed throughout the country last year. Indeed, the sector as a whole has been thriving. Last year,

In recent years, private equity (PE) firms have isolated operational improvement in portfolio firms as a frontline tactic, shifting focus away from financial engineering or excessive leverage. As a result, the role of operating partner has become key to PE firms’ investment thesis, which has led to a rise in the relevance and demand for

Organizations commonly seek the expertise of executive search firms for senior level recruitment. However, due to the often confidential nature of their assignment, the activities of these companies can seem opaque to an outsider looking in.  Executive search companies typically employ a combination of industry contacts, personal connections, and job adverts to carry out their

As the owner of a construction company, you know there will come a time when you say goodbye to building homes and commercial structures.  Construction is one of the most labor-intensive types of work there is. While you can hire other people to perform the labor for you, at some point, you’ll want to enjoy

Commitment to gender and BIPOC diversity has proven to be effective. Yet, pragmatic action in the area of diversity recruitment has been slow. A long-term commitment to the cause and concrete goals are some potential ways through which this exclusion can be rectified. Marketing your company for inclusivity is also important because branding empowers the

The Need Fast growing consumer packaged goods company, LadyBoss Health & Weight Loss, had become a $200 Million business, ranking #4 on the Inc. Fastest Growing 500 list. Managed entirely by husband and wife co-founders it was time to hire some professional management to take the company to the next level. Including operations, finance, and

Office work has changed drastically over the past year and a half. The pandemic made remote work a necessity and it has proven how successful employees can be outside of the office. Even after the pandemic finally ends, it’s unlikely businesses will resume traditional work models. As it stands, remote work is here to stay. 

You’ve been through the rounds of interviews, narrowed down your selection, and are finally left with two amazing candidates. You’ve weighed team impressions and reviewed all of the assessments, but the two people seem equally perfect for the job. Who do you choose? Of all the hiring problems out there, being stuck between two top

Personality tests are often used by companies for screening purposes, but they can also be used as part of an employee’s development plan or performance management process.  The goal of these types of tests is not only to identify strengths and weaknesses in an employee’s personality but also to provide feedback on how those traits

The Wonderlic Test is a test for cognitive ability that helps employers determine whether a job candidate is likely to succeed in their position. It’s used by companies to measure, evaluate, and benchmark candidates in terms of problem-solving and aptitude skills, as well as to give an idea of how fast they can think and

Although they are less concerned with profit runs and shareholder satisfaction, non-profits still need capable, effective senior leadership. Success, for organizations, is often defined by the caliber of leadership talent they boast in executive positions – and the same holds true for non-profits. When looking to fill these positions, non-profits may rely on internal resources

Because Your Legacy Is Important In every company, employees will quit, retire, or die in some cases. Transition is inevitable, and organizations know that. However, the majority of companies ignore this fact. Instead, they act surprised or even shocked when a high-ranking employee leaves. Filling the open position is, often, a struggle. With smart succession

We’ve all heard that it’s important to implement and live your company culture. Not only your employees, but your entire company will benefit from it. But what makes a company culture so important? And how can you create a healthy company culture within your organization? Cowen Partner’s top executive recruiters answer those questions here, sharing

The Need  Unico Properties, one of the West Coast’s largest commercial real estate investment companies was right sizing and internalizing their strategic tax function when they contacted Cowen Partners for help identifying the right person.   The Solution In partnership with the CFO, CHRO, and head of Talent Acquisition Cowen Partners profiled Unico’s ideal candidate,

You’ve heard it before: Diverse teams are more creative, productive, and successful. And yet, even after decades of diversity initiatives and training, many companies still struggle to hire and retain a diverse workforce. When you hire a diverse workforce, you break down stereotypes and encourage people to be themselves. A diverse workforce helps your company

Due to the unique challenges that the year 2020 brought, 2021 saw a revolution in the roles of C-suite leaders, including that of the CFO. For an executive role mostly distinguished by its technical and financial requirements, expectations for the position deepened and expanded as organizations looked to their leaders during trying times.  Our top

By Shawn Cole, President Cowen Partners Executive Search Startup founders are dedicated to their companies and the growth of their business. To many founders, it may seem natural to fill the role of chief executive officer (CEO). However, the creator of a product or service isn’t always the best person to manage a business long-term.

Legal knowledge is difficult to grasp if you haven’t specifically studied it. Even so, it’s important for departments within a company to have at least some understanding of relevant laws and compliance rules related to the business. An understanding of legal and ethical guidelines can help employees avoid any unnecessary mistakes that create legal issues

Written by Thomas Paik, Human Resources, Diversity and Inclusion Practice Leader The role of the chief human resource officer has taken on more responsibility within private equity portfolio companies in the past decade. The role is no longer simply responsible for regular human resource functions. It is now also regarded as a strategic business partner

As a hiring manager, you undoubtedly know how long and frustrating the hiring process can be for everyone involved. Finding the right person to fill your vacancies can often take much longer than expected. When you find yourself without a staff member unexpectedly, the need to fill this vacancy is greater than ever. As one

Cowen Partners Executive Search Outlines What to Look For in an Operating Partner Operating partners are proven business leaders, functioning as either generalists or specialists, and have established track records of building shareholder value. They are usually more capable of developing strategies and leadership teams than a deal-oriented partner, and they are expected to spend more

Organizations employ the services of executive search firms to find and recruit talent for C-level or senior management roles. Considering that this is a delicate task requiring significant time and resources, it should be done right.  Executive search firms can provide the high-level expertise and technical support that helps unearth and attract standout leadership candidates.

2020 was a pivotal year, and many companies can trace the evolution of their business practises to the events of that year. We see this most clearly in the way businesses operated in 2021, starting with a large-scale transition to remote work. However, with the shift to remote work and other technology integrations into the

No matter the size or sector of your business, it is essentially impossible to accomplish your corporate goals without being laser-focused on sales. Sales are the lifeblood of any organization. Without obtaining repeat business from current customers and new business from recently-converted prospects, your business will struggle to grow. To address this reality, it is

Private equity talent is in high demand but filling vacant roles with the right candidates has never been easy. The challenge has been made even more difficult with the current talent shortage creating even more competition for valuable candidates. At a time when it’s more important than ever for private equity companies to be building

In private equity-backed companies, leaders are often working in a results-driven environment with short timelines for producing results. It’s common for leaders to use aggressive business strategies to push the company forward. The issue this need for results can create, however, is a power struggle between top company leaders.  Leadership capabilities and collaboration are critical

Written by Sam Torres Sports and Entertainment Practice Leader The ultimate goal for any sports organization at any level, is to win a championship. If you are not trying to win, either in the short term or long term, you are doing your players and fans a disservice. When you look at the most successful

Written by Sam Torres Sports and Entertainment Practice Leader The backbone of every successful sports team is a strong executive and leadership team with a clear vision of the future. As ownership and general managers bring in players to play for their team, they also bring in sales teams that bring in the partnerships and

Once you’ve decided to sell your business, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you. You’ll need to partner with various advisors to help you with the sales process, and you’ll need to undergo a thorough audit of your financials.  Your financials provide potential buyers with a comprehensive view of your organization’s current and

The global pandemic has made businesses acutely aware of the importance of tech updates. According to the 2021 State of IT report by Spiceworks, 76% of businesses are planning for long-term IT changes. Investing in new technology is a smart move for your business, but it requires careful planning and consideration. A chief technology officer

While investment firms and financial advisors have typically relied on traditional information sources like SEC filings and press releases to make investment decisions, there’s a sea change going on in the industry.  Investors are increasingly turning to alternative data sources for faster insights and a fresh perspective in the search for better and more contextual

The world of Investor Relations (IR) has always straddled the shared links between companies, stock markets, and the average investor to varied success. It is a weird analogy but IR professionals are much like therapists; commanding a specific mix of tools to help achieve specific goals. A lot of the time, that goal is managing

When it comes to hiring new staff, it’s crucial to choose the right candidates. Thereby, selecting the VP of Sales is especially important. In this article, an experienced sales executive recruiter at Cowen Partners explains why you should make sure you hire the best-suited candidate for the position and how you can do that. VP

With the increasing complexity and dynamism of business environments, organizations are under greater pressure to appoint executives that are agile, future-focused, and equipped to succeed in a modern business world. While certain companies can find internal solutions to this conundrum, other enterprises must look outward for top-level candidates who can lead them into the future.

Special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) have been around for a long time but it’s only recently that they’ve become more popular. A SPAC has no commercial operations and is formed with the purpose of raising capital through an initial public offering (IPO) with the intention of acquiring an existing company. Between January and August 2021,

Every organization eventually comes to the point where discussions turn to the possibility of bringing on a number two or chief operations officer. But due to the rarely visible, misunderstood role that an operations chief plays, prospecting for one can be a difficult task.  We have addressed the question of how to hire a COO

You have an amazing staff of highly skilled workers and advisors and would like to offer them equity in the business. You know that startup equity is a valuable commodity but distributing it can be complicated. You only have so many shares of the business to divide and share with others, so it’s important to

Apart from the inescapable specter of a global pandemic, 2020 will be remembered as the year when SPACs emerged as a true contender to the tried and tested IPO. With more than $70 billion in gross proceeds by December, SPACs accounted for 97% of the total money raised in IPOs in 2020, according to the

Written by Sam Torres Sports and Entertainment Practice Leader How to Elevate Your Sales Pitch with The Right Story Perhaps the most important part of a sales pitch is the presentation, the story is the human side of your organization. The part that gives your franchise emotions, a face, and a heart. It can be

Ransomware attacks have become increasingly popular in the last few years, with a recent attack hindering hundreds of businesses in 17 different countries. In many cybersecurity attacks, criminals infiltrate company networks to steal data so they can hold the critical information for a ransom. The criminals typically demand hundreds of thousands of dollars for the

Cowen Partners, a national sales executive search firm, has put together what we believe is the ultimate guide to hiring sales leadership, including a sales team and growing sales. Designed for CEO’s, founders, and HR leaders, we outline the major issues encountered by an organization when building a high-performing sales function. About Cowen Partners |

Alternative Data is one of the best approaches that most businesses are using to gain insight into the customer’s mind. The data is compiled through different resources that are different from the traditional ones. The sources include management guidance, broker forecasts, company filings, social media sentiment, credit card transactions, weather data, web traffic, and many

Company culture is built around shared values as well as the characteristics of an organization. Strong company culture is beneficial because it helps employees understand expectations and act to meet those expectations. Some businesses let the culture develop naturally whereas other organizations make a concerted effort to cultivate culture. It’s difficult to develop company culture,

Businesses utilize a variety of different and effective marketing strategies all with the goal of connecting to high-value clients in the target market. Marketing campaigns typically reach a wide audience, but the leads generated are not always an ideal fit. That’s why more and more businesses are turning to account-based marketing strategies. In fact, according

Written by Sam Torres Sports and Entertainment Practice Leader Besides the public health threat that the COVID-19 pandemic brought to every part of the United States and the world, there were an infinite number of secondary consequences of virus-related shutdowns brought to our communities. One of those was the shuttering of local venues—sports stadiums, arenas,

It is accepted that there is only one thing that is constant in life: change. In 2020, the world experienced some of the biggest changes. The business environment was not left out as it also experienced several significant shifts. And these changes show no signs of slowing down. At the center of these changes is

The $100 million annual recurring revenue mark is a significant milestone for SaaS companies that signifies sustainable company growth. While every startup wants to hit this number as soon as possible, it’s a process that takes time. According to Kimchi Hill, on average it takes 4.5 years to hit the $10 million ARR mark and

A chief financial officer (CFO) for a private equity company is a real test of mettle. A private equity CFO is expected to transform a portfolio company and achieve rapid growth within a short timeframe. The high demands of the position, as well as the need to quickly adapt to company practices, have contributed to

Payscale estimates the average General Counsel salary is around $166,438. In 2020, Corporate Counsel carried out a survey of the country’s best-paid general counsels. The survey took into account the base salary, cash bonus, and non equity incentives of these GCs. At the top of the list was Alan Braverman of Walt Disney, with a

Marketing is the lifeblood of every business. To get customers for your business, you have to first attract them to your business. The way to do that is through marketing. However, before you attract customers to your business through marketing, you have to first attract top talent for your company’s marketing positions.  And the right

There’s a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) crisis in the global economy. According to a 2015 study published by KPMG, 2/3 of surveyed CEOs believe that CFOs will increase in their significance over the next three years (which, incidentally, they have). Yet, 1/3 of those CEOs feel that their CFO is not up to the challenge.

Recruitment and talent acquisition may seem like the same thing, but these two hiring strategies are very different. It’s important to understand the differences between these hiring methods so your company can implement the best hiring process possible. Below outlines the company mindset and processes that differentiate recruitment and talent acquisition. What is recruitment? Recruitment

Written by Sam Torres Sports and Entertainment Practice Leader It is sometimes hard to imagine sports before the pandemic; with crowded bleachers, standing hand in hand with your fellow sports mates, or friendly banter with the opposing fans. When it all stopped, many of us lost that social feeling. Sports were simply not the same

The coronavirus pandemic made digital transformation a necessity for all sectors of business, but especially within the financial industry. Credit unions, in particular, are struggling to attract younger customers to their services. This is largely due to the lack of available digital services and functionality. Younger generations are accustomed to accessing accounts, paying bills, and

As a private equity Chief Financial Officer, you must be flexible and wear many different hats. Before a business is acquired by a private equity (PE) firm, a Chief Financial Officer might be perfectly fine filling the role of the accountant. After a business is acquired, however, this is no longer the case. A private

The Ultimate MODERN CMO Hiring Guide Cowen Partners, a national sales and marketing executive search firm, has put together what we believe is the ultimate guide to hiring marketing leadership, including a Chief Marketing Officer and team. Designed for CEO’s, we outline the major issues encountered by an organization when building a marketing function. About

What Is Company Culture? Company culture is the term for the behaviors and attitudes of an organization and its employees. Also known as “corporate culture,” “organizational culture,” or “workplace culture,” company culture can be seen in the interactions of the people in an organization with each other, along with the values and decisions that they

Every business knows how important it is to manage information security but deciding how exactly to protect that information is a topic for debate. In most cases, companies can agree hiring a chief information security officer or CISO, is the best answer. The debate, however, is whether to hire a full-time position or outsource information

The Difference Between a CIO versus a CTO & Why It Matters When it comes to managing a company’s technology, there are two executive-level positions that take the lead: Chief information officer (CIO) and chief technology officer (CTO). People mistakenly view these two positions in the same capacity because they both involve technology. However, a

Diversity in workspaces isn’t just a perk considered by professionals and job seekers today. Top talent takes it as one of the primary deciding factors while choosing a new organization to work for.  Not only that, diversity has a wide set of benefits for organizations too. They can harness the innovative ideas coming in from

By Shawn Cole, President Cowen Partners Executive Search A private equity operating partner has always been a valuable role, but the COVID-19 pandemic has made the position even more prominent. PE firms are looking to improve value creation at portfolio companies and operational improvements are a big contributor to their success. Drivers of this operational

When looking to fill leadership roles, many companies find in-house executive recruitment to be challenging. This is unsurprising, given the widening skills gap in the labor market and the increasing scarcity of top-level talent, especially for senior management positions.  One meaningful solution to this difficulty is collaborating with an executive search firm. As specialized experts

The role of the chief financial officer (CFO) has evolved a lot over the years. In addition to the financial responsibilities of a company, many CFOs are now handling technology transformation, outsourcing personnel, and talent management, among other business needs. Given the diverse role a CFO can play within a company, it can be difficult

There were 480 IPOs on the US stock market in 2020, an all-time record. This is +106% more than in 2019 with 233 IPOs. It is also 20% higher than the previous record IPO year of 2000, which had 397.  This is indicative of two things. First, we are seeing a higher rate of innovation

If you are at the point where you are prospecting for a chief operations officer, then you are likely experiencing exciting times at your company. Organizations typically require a chief of operations to step in and help scale the management team to cope with exploding growth, or new opportunities.  However, these times can also be

The chief marketing officer (CMO) role has always been a contentious one. Businesses recognize the importance of marketing to a company’s success and growth, but many CEOs and top executives are hesitant to assign a CMO position. Part of the reluctance comes from the inability to track the impact of a marketing campaign on the

A chief marketing officer (CMO) is the person responsible for managing the marketing side of your company. This C-suite position ensures your company mission and vision are being accurately conveyed to the public. They also keep the marketing strategy on track so your business continues to reach a larger audience. A successful CMO will ultimately

The average cost of hiring a new employee is about $4,129, and it takes roughly 42 days to fill an open position. High turnover rates from unwise hiring decisions can have a serious effect on mature businesses, but this onboarding cost is even more crucial for a startup. A young company doesn’t have the time

While the answer to this question varies depending on the unique growth stage and opportunities of each company, this is a question every founder asks at some point – often with great reluctance. Understandably, many founders are less than keen on the subject of board recruitment. Stories abound of founders who were pushed out of

Cowen Partners highlights what it means to be a data-driven business and make decisions based on financial analytics and business intelligence. As the leader of a company, CEOs make a fundamentally large portion of corporate decisions, including management, operations, and sales development. In order to do that effectively, they need to have the best, updated

By Shawn Cole, President Cowen Partners Executive Search The C-Level executives at your company are responsible for either the success or failure of your company. As the CEO, it is your responsibility to ensure that you steer the company to success.  However, you can’t do this alone. You have to work hand in hand with

By Ash Wendt, President Cowen Partners Executive Search A clear marketing organization structure is necessary for the smooth operation of your business. With the right marketing organization structure in place, your business will efficiently meet business goals and keep employees focused on their responsibilities. The problem with marketing organization structures is that there are a

Great leaders are the foundation of any business. You can’t have successful teams without the right leadership in place. Teams are motivated, inspired, and driven by their leaders, so finding the right supervisors and executive leaders for your company is vital for success.  Great leaders often share the same characteristics. In fact, here are the

Working with both public and private companies, Cowen Partners regularly helps pre-IPO companies ramp up for a successful IPO. This includes hiring for SEC regulations and reporting, to driving sales and increased market share pre-IPO. Because of this, we have put together what we believe is the ultimate guide to hiring for an initial public

Below are the four types of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) profiles, each with different competencies and areas of expertise. Understanding how each of these roles works within a company can help you determine which CFO profile is best for your business. The 4 Chief Financial Officer Profiles 1. Chief Financial Officer as the Financial Guru

Executive recruiters specialize in hiring C-Suite professionals 365 days a year, giving their clients a clear advantage. Chances are, you have taken calls from an executive search firm. In fact, you may have found a job in the past with a headhunter. Still, many CEOs don’t utilize executive recruiters to make internal hires. In this

How you hire executive-level talent for your company is a critical decision that can impact your whole business. It’s estimated that onboarding a new employee can cost roughly $240,000, and that’s just for a senior manager position. This number covers hiring costs, compensation, and the price associated with maintaining an employee. If you make a

Demand generation marketing strategies are tactics used to generate interest and demand for a company’s products or services. What Is Demand Generation? Demand generation can include a variety of communication channels from blog posts and social media messaging to targeted promotions and list creation. When all is said and done, demand gen is typically involved

In an age when outsourcing is the trend, and companies are relying on outside contractors more than ever to help grow their business and expand their position in the marketplace, it can be difficult to know how and when to in source specialized professional services. Specially, when should a company invest in developing and hiring

Thanks to technology, anytime you need to fill a position you can post the job online and have a plethora of applicants within a week. You would think that such a large applicant pool would make filling positions easy, but this isn’t always the case, especially when it comes to executive searches. Many people are

3 Executive Search Recruitment Practices to Develop Diversity in the Workplace Studies have proven that diversity and inclusion are good for business. Diverse teams are more innovative, more profitable, and simply more engaged. One study even found that companies with more diversity were 35 percent more likely to financially outperform competitors in the market. Even

What Is a CTO? In an organization, a CTO is an executive-level position that has the responsibility of understanding and implementing the scientific and technological needs of the company in order to meet the business goals. For the technology-related matters, this is the company’s highest level of the executive position as a CTO holds the

The right product marketing strategy has the power to transform your business. A common mistake businesses make in product marketing, however, is focusing too much on the initial launch of a product. You don’t want to have a successful launch for the product or service to fall flat a few months later. Product marketing is

Cowen Partners is a leader among the nation’s best CFO search firms. Regularly featured in Forbes, Fortune, Bloomberg, and CFO Magazine, the CFO recruiters at Cowen Partners specialize in CFO executive search. Sharing our knowledge and insights about the CFO recruitment process, we have compiled the top 20 CFO interview questions below to help you screen candidates

Written by Sam Torres Sports and Entertainment Practice Leader Environmental sustainability continues to be one of the strongest global secular trends that is changing the way businesses and governments operate. You have probably noticed by now that nearly every company has a goal of carbon neutrality by a specified date. It is a crucial step

Owning a company in the software sector is pretty exciting. Technology is one of the economy’s fastest-growing sectors, and many individuals have grown large companies in software that add tremendous value to our everyday lives. At some point, you may want to sell your software company. You may want to retire — or you may

Private equity firms typically hold stock in a portfolio of different companies. Their ownership percentage — especially if it’s in the majority — often allows them to play a role in the hiring of executive and management positions. However, the hiring process employed by private equity firms differs considerably from traditional hiring processes.  Rather than looking

Your company is getting ready to go public, and you are excited. You’ve been dreaming of a successful IPO for a while. You and your team, standing at the exchange, ringing the bell and seeing the company’s initials start flashing by on the tickers. Hopefully, the numbers coming in are large, green, and there’s an

Executive-recruiting firms best serve their clients by making a commitment to finding minority candidates. According to Shawn Cole, president and founding partner of Cowen Partners, knowing sources of alternative qualified prospects and digging deeper into the demands of roles can greatly improve diversity executive recruiting. All too often, search firms compare themselves to the professional

Cowen Partners is a leader among the nation’s best executive search firms for legal executives, enabling companies to harness the power of human capital to fuel their success. With top-rated CLO recruiters, Cowen Partners gives our clients access to the top 1% of human capital to create opportunities that accelerate their growth and market share.

Everyone knows the major role a CEO plays in a company, but fewer people understand the significance of a COO. A chief operating officer is typically in charge of the daily operations of a company, and the duties required of this role can vary widely between businesses. The COO role is often seen as the

Before the digital era, marketing relied heavily on print media to advertise products and services. Newspaper and magazine advertisements and even billboard signs were common marketing tools used to promote a brand. In today’s technology-savvy world, however, the emphasis is now on digital marketing strategies.  Digital marketing is marketing that uses electronic devices to distribute

A chief executive officer (CEO) is the highest-ranking executive position in a company. When looking to fill this role in your company, you’ll receive plenty of applications from people with acceptable backgrounds and experience who will do an adequate job in the position. However, you don’t want an average executive officer, and you shouldn’t settle

You need to build a solid sales team to lead your business, and one way to attract top sales performers is offering the right sales team compensation plan. If it’s your first time setting up a sales team, however, it can be difficult to determine which incentives to offer your team. By breaking down the

Interviews don’t solely benefit the company hiring for a position. Candidates also learn a lot during this process. They get an opportunity to see how your company works and receive a first impression of the business. When trying to hire top candidates, especially executives, it’s imperative to have a smooth hiring process. A significant part

What Is a CMO? A CMO is a C-level executive position in the corporate sector who is responsible for all the activities related to the creation, communication, and delivering the offerings in an organization to value for the clients, customers, and business partners. The main objective of a CMO is to accelerate growth and increase

Start your CEO job description with an introductory paragraph that gives the applicant a few details about your company and the working environment. This is your chance to set your company apart from the rest while detailing exactly what you want in the professional who will fill the CEO role. Taking 2-3 sentences to shape

When it comes to hiring a new chief marketing officer (CMO), you have to make sure you’re picking the right person for the job. After all, CMO is one of the most critical positions in a company, organizing your business’ marketing efforts and ensuring you can meet the growth goals that spell long-term success in

At the Top: The CEO, COO, CHRO, CFO, CTO, CMO & More Leadership roles in any organization can include several positions, from the board of directors and the chief executive officer (CEO) on down. While companies may not need to fill every role in the C-suite from day one, leadership at the top will generally

Cowen Partners is a national CFO search firm, driven to create value for our clients, and we have a long-standing record of placing exceptionally qualified Chief Financial Officers across all industries. In this post, we highlight the average CFO salary for both public and private companies based on revenue size. Other variables apply, such as location and industry.

A company’s executives are typically also its leaders. Individuals in these positions, including the CEO, CFO, CMO, and CTO, are tasked with leading both individual departments and the overall business.  They are expected to be up-to-date on the latest business trends and have the skills required to push mid-level managers and staff to meet specific

Hiring salespeople is a serious investment for your business. According to the Harvard Business Review, U.S. businesses spend $15 billion annually on sales training and $800 billion on sales force compensation. Salespeople are the driving force behind customer acquisition and revenue generation so it’s not surprising companies invest so heavily into these employees. If you

By Shawn Cole, President Cowen Partners Executive Search In-house legal advisors are invaluable to a company. They understand the ins and outs of your business which gives them a better grasp of the potential risks and threats your company faces. High-level positions in charge of your company’s legal matters are even more critical as they

Succession planning is a process for identifying and developing new leaders who can replace old leaders when they leave, retire or die. Succession planning increases the availability of experienced and capable employees that are prepared to assume these roles as they become available. Taken narrowly, “replacement planning” for key roles is the heart of succession planning. If you have

At the very beginning stages of a startup there are very few employees, and most of the time a sales representative is not one of them. This means you, as the CEO or founder, are likely the person in charge of pitching and selling the product to potential clients. At this point in time, you

The chief operating officer of a company is a senior executive level position typically second in command to the chief executive officer. A COO is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of your business and works to execute the company’s overall business plan. In most cases, the COO qualifications and responsibilities include handling the internal

A large part of a company’s success depends on its sales team, which means you need to make sure you’re hiring the right salespeople for your business. Of course, hiring the right people for your company is easier said than done. According to the Harvard Business Review, annual turnover among U.S. salespeople is around 27

Companies Need Business Minded General Counsels, Enter the Chief Legal Officer General counsels are currently expected to take on more responsibilities than ever before within their organizations. In the past, their main job was to guard the company against legal and ethical offenses, but the role is so much more than that now. In addition

Cowen Partners has assembled a list of the top Chief Revenue Officer interview questions for CEOs and Founders to hire a qualified sales leader.  Before we start, do you have any questions I can answer? Tell me about your ability to work under pressure? What field/ industry experience do you have as a Chief Revenue

Cowen Partners has put together a list of COO Qualifications for client companies. The chief operating officer (COO) is a senior executive tasked with overseeing the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of a business. The COO and CEO work together closely, with the COO typically reporting directly to the chief executive officer (CEO) and considered to be second in the chain of

There will come a time when you’ll need to sell your business. You may want to retire or try something new, or something might happen that prevents you from managing your company full-time. Selling a business isn’t easy, especially one you’ve worked hard to build over the years. It can feel a little like saying

As an organization, the businesses and sponsors that you align with can be a direct reflection of how the organization will be perceived by the public. Solidifying a sponsor for the naming rights of a stadium establishes credibility amongst your peers and the corporate world in which that company exists. Stadium Naming Right Categories Among

CEO turnover within private equity portfolio companies is shockingly high. According to a 2017 survey by AlixPartners, as many as 58 percent of private equity CEOs are replaced within the first two years of acquisition. Switching CEOs after two years can be detrimental to a PE firm’s return on investment given that most PE acquisitions

Cowen Partners is a national private equity executive search firm. Working with startups and pre-IPO companies, Cowen Partners has vast private equity and venture capital experience. Whether you are the CEO/founder of a startup or an older, privately held business, there may come a time where you and your colleagues are seeking outside capital. In

The CEO Interview process can be lengthy and daunting for any board. Cowen Partners is a national executive search firm and we have assembled a list of top Chief Executive Officer interview questions for your board to utilize when interviewing CEOs and making the right hire.    Cowen Partners Executive Search   Cowen Partners is

An interim CFO serves as a stop gap between the incoming and outgoing CFO’s. Utilized for an unplanned CFO exit or a lengthy executive search, they are great for maintaining critical company processes and momentum. Our team of CFO Consultants have a vested interest in your success. Many have worked at respected companies such as

COVID-19 spread like wildfire across the globe and devastated hundreds of macro and micro-communities and economies in its path. Indeed, the virus has scorched our American economic landscape beyond recognition. What was once a healthy, profitable, and tested climate, ripe with clear-cut standards and methods of success, is no longer in existence. Businesses and employees

Cowen Partners Executive Search outlines sales executive recruitment as part of our sales leadership recruiting practice for companies competing for sales talent. Accomplished individual contributors and proven sales leaders are the key difference between companies positioned to win in the future and those that will fall behind. “Hire salespeople who are really smart problem solvers,

The sales executive job description you use to recruit C-suite candidates can be a critical first step in the screening process. Similarly, for candidates, the sales executive job description on your resume can be pivotal to establishing your credentials and moving on to the next round of the interview process. What Is a Sales Executive?

At Cowen Partners Executive Search, we know you need great private equity executives. Whether you’re an HR leader, CEO, or company founder, private equity experienced executives create value and make a real difference in the business. As firms work to increase their operational value, they need to choose great operational leaders who are agile in

Cowen Partners is a leader among the nation’s top CFO executive search firms. Nothing drives results and creates value for our private equity clients like finding them their next Chief Financial Officer. Our hands-on executive recruiters have deep experience working with start-ups and pre-IPO companies, providing top talent and diverse candidates to fit an array of C-suite recruitment

The Head of Investor Relations is responsible for ensuring the company is appropriately and strategically positioned with analysts, investors, and all stakeholders. The individual in this role will: Head of IR Responsibilities The main responsibilities for the head of IR position are: Head of Investor Relations Qualifications The head of IR must be a seasoned

Provided by Maryville University Whether you’re leading a global team of culturally diverse individuals or overseeing an office in a foreign country, you may face unique management obstacles, from communication and decision-making to motivation and teamwork. Managers and leaders can take steps to develop cross-cultural leadership skills to work through the challenges of managing diverse

Provided by Northeastern University’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business Shorthand for a company’s top tier of executives, the term C-suite derives from the first letter of the high-level executive titles used by many large enterprises. The most common C-suite titles are chief executive officer (CEO), chief financial officer (CFO), and chief operating officer (COO). These C-suite

Originally published in the Puget Sound Business Journal – Seattle, WA Shawn Cole is President and Co-Founder of Cowen Partners Executive Search. Although the country has experienced higher unemployment rates than those of the Great Depression and the great recession, unemployment rates for senior-level executives have remained low amid Covid-19. Why? Because the value of

General counsels are currently expected to take on more responsibilities than ever before within their organizations. In the past, their main job was to guard the company against legal and ethical offenses, but the general counsel role is so much more than that now. In addition to avoiding legal infractions, general counsels are expected to

The general counsel position is a major part of the executive leadership team. You need someone who displays great leadership skills, sound judgment, and a strong sense of ethics. Finding a candidate who meets all of these expectations as well as your business needs can be difficult. Before sitting down for an interview, you need

Capable in-house legal talent is a vital part of your company’s team, and finding top legal talent is necessary if you expect to compete in today’s economy. You cannot afford to make mistakes when locating the right candidate for Chief Legal Officer, Corporate Counsel, General Counsel, or other key legal positions. As a leading executive

The outbreak of COVID-19 at the outset of 2020 left the global economy at a standstill with dozens of countries combatting economic, health care, and educational collapse. As the virus spiraled into an unprecedented pandemic, hundreds of companies halted operations, resorted to layoffs and furloughs, and attempted to stave off financial ruin. While suspending operations

Diversity and inclusion are more than just policies. Equitable employers can outperform their competitors by considering the unique needs and perspectives of all of their team members. As a result, employees can have deeper trust and loyalty to their employers in a diverse and inclusive workplace. Typically, a diverse and inclusive workplace is one where

Organizations around the world are increasingly taking a more strategic approach to their marketing and sales efforts. Considering the highly customer-centric environment companies are now required to do business in, it is crucial to continually find ways to optimize the customer experience at every relevant touchpoint. And demand generation plays a critical role in achieving

Receive our  “How to Choose an Executive Search Firm” brochure. Designed for companies seeking an executive search firm service. Reaching out to an executive search firm often plays a key role in answering this question. Executive search firms are talent acquisition specialists who invest their entire careers focused on helping their clients identify, attract, and hire

Issue A national enterprise software and business intelligence consultancy was having trouble identifying and retaining qualified sales directors. The company had relied unsuccessfully on referrals, job ads, and third-party recruiters for years without success. Solution Cowen Partners was referred to the company by a new board member. With extensive experience in enterprise B2B sales recruiting,

General Counsel Can Save Company Cash & Improve Strategy An in-house counsel, such as General Counsel or Chief Counsel, becomes a cost-saving investment when it seeks the right specialty legal advice from trusted and qualified specialists. They can manage outside legal advisors with a keener, more experienced eye, and free up time that would have

Develop a Consistent Hiring Process: Hiring has been turned upside down due to COVID-19. Having a consistent, structured hiring process has never been more important. Small actions can make a huge difference: Post clear and detailed job descriptions, schedule interviews in a timely manner, and make hiring decisions as efficiently as possible to avoid losing

Scanning the headlines today, you will undoubtedly come across stories about the need to build diverse workforces at all organizational levels, particularly the C-suite. The conversation has been driven in large part by the strength of the Black Lives Matter movement, in addition to recent legislation — including California’s Senate Bill (SB) 826 requiring public companies to find female board

American commerce has long been grounded in a kind of Darwinism: It’s about the survival of the fittest in an expansive and cutthroat economic ecosystem. The strongest companies survive; the weak go extinct. It used to be that creating an economic powerhouse meant reducing employees to numbers on a chart; looking at dollar signs and profit margins; and

How much do you need to pay a chief operating officer to join your company? The salary of a COO in 2021 depends on a number of business factors, including (but not limited to): COO compensation should also factor in what phase your business is in and what you’re trying to accomplish. For instance, if

What Is a CFO? A CFO, or chief financial officer, is the highest-ranked financial figure in an organization who is responsible for the financial stability of a business. A CFO has several responsibilities, including (but not limited to): Building a top-notch accounting and financial team Overseeing financial planning and analysis Keeping expenses and revenues in

For companies who needed to hire new CFOs at the start of this calendar year, now Interim CFOs are pioneering the post-pandemic economic landscape. For companies who needed to hire new CFOs at the start of this calendar year, now Interim CFOs are pioneering the post-pandemic economic landscape. COVID-19 has catapulted global commerce, healthcare, and

Finance: Everything from investment banking to private equity, these businesses are littered with high stakes contracts. Tech: Whether software or hardware, tech is littered with legal red tape including patents, litigation, and IPO. Entertainment: With the abundance of copyrights, licensing and royalties, in-house counsel is a must. Oil: It goes without saying, if you are

“Hire salespeople who are really smart problem solvers, but lack courage, hunger and competitiveness, and your company will go out of business.” — Ben Horowitz Companies compete for sales talent. Accomplished individual contributors and proven sales leaders are the key difference between companies positioned to win in the future and those that will fall behind.

Cowen Partners is a national sales recruiting firm and we have put together what we believe is the ultimate guide to hiring a Chief Revenue Officer. Designed for CEO’s, we outline the major issues encountered by an organization when hiring a CRO. Growing business revenue is never easy. Even more difficult is achieving consistent revenuegrowth

    Cowen Partners conducts more CFO searches a month than most executive search firms do all year. Because of this, we have put together what we believe is the ultimate guide to hiring a Chief Financial Officer. Designed for CEO’s, we outline the major issues encountered by an organization when hiring a CFO. About

Companies are evolving to aim for greater and sustained revenue growth, focusing on revenue creation, and capitalizing on opportunities created by digital services and products, which has made hiring the right Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) one of the most critical hires a company can make. As the CRO role grows in popularity, it’s important to understand not

The structure and operations of sales departments have been changing across industries and sectors for decades. As with nearly every other facet of life, the rise and integration of technology have triggered significant consumer behavior changes. As any good salesperson would say, you need to sell in the way that clients are buying.  If you’re

Why Use Executive Search Firms? It is often said that senior-level executives can “make or break” a company. There is no doubt that in an organization, every employee holds importance. However, a bad CEO or other executive can quickly take the company off-track and send it into a tailspin, which is why it’s extremely important

There’s a CFO crisis in the global economy. According to a 2015 study published by KPMG, 2/3 of surveyed CEOs believe that CFOs will increase in their significance over the next three years (which, incidentally, they have). Yet, 1/3 of those CEOs feel that their CFO is not up to the challenge. Now, this might

Many chief financial officers (CFOs) are excited by the opportunity to lead a private equity portfolio company’s financials. Being a private equity CFO looks good on a resume, often comes with a certain prestige and monetary bump; however, many CFOs do not realize what it takes to be successful at a private equity-backed company. According

There is no doubt that a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is one of the most valuable assets of a company. Be it a blue chip company or a small business, every entity needs a skilled person to take care of its financials. Although startups and small businesses frequently can’t afford to hire a CFO, they

Building an enterprise sales team is a process that takes careful consideration. Sales, particularly enterprise sales, are all about relationships. You need people who can connect with multiple prospective clients, including multiple decision makers, and get them excited about your product. Below are a few tips that will help you create the right enterprise sales

In an age when outsourcing is the trend, and companies are relying on outside hires more than ever to help grow their operations and expand their position in the marketplace, it can be difficult to know how and when to insource specialized professional services. Specially, when should a company invest in developing and hiring in-house

In today’s economic climate, C-level executives hold dynamic roles that can generate growth and success within an organization. Likewise, they also have the potential to decrease company market value when they aren’t fully capitalizing on their roles and responsibilities. Unfortunately, comfort and complacency among high-level executives are some of the biggest downfalls of 21st-century companies.

Cowen Partners Executive Search Cowen Partners is a top sales executive search company and consulting firm. Our clients are both small and large, publicly traded, private, and non-profit organizations. With our proven processes and guaranteed results, we have successfully placed hundreds of candidates in industries including technology, commercial real estate, healthcare, financial services, sales and finance.

Cowen Partners | Executive Search + Consulting Location: Vancouver WA THE ROLE Interns are members of the research team who focus on the finding the best executive candidates for our Partners to reach out to. They gather, synthesize, and present information about the people, industries, products, and talent markets relevant to their search projects and

The Wall Street Journal published a list of the five highest-paid CFO’s late last year. The list cited high power executives, including Safra Catz at Oracle Corp. ($108.3 million), Ruth M. Porat at Alphabet Inc. ($47.3 million), Luca Maestri at Apple Inc. ($26.5 million), Michael Fleisher at Wayfair Inc. ($23.6 million), and John P. Nallen at 21st

Do you offer an enterprise solution for big businesses? Are you looking for new ways to grow your business and increase sales? While enterprise businesses only make up one-third of all companies, generating new enterprise sales leads is easy once you understand the various techniques at your disposal. There are a lot of different methods

Enterprise sales is how companies can make a large profit, which is why most new companies try to work toward this goal. Enterprise sales refers to when businesses obtain large complex deals from Fortune 500 companies. Enterprise, or complex sales, differs from transactional or SMB (small-medium sized businesses) sales in that they are more complex,

Feb 24, 2020 (Investing Alerts) — According to Pitchbook, a leading financial data provider that covers global venture capital, private equity (PE) and public markets, private equity’s IPO pipeline is filling up after a slow 2019. The number of private equity-backed IPOs in the US, according to PitchBook’s 2019 Annual US PE Breakdown, dropped 50 percent year over

Consulting Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) play an important role at private equity (PE) portfolio companies. An interim CFO can be strategically added to a company’s team to navigate a merger or acquisition, implement new systems, or serve as a critical stop gap between incoming and outgoing CFOs. According to a 2019 survey by Deloitte, the

Consulting Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) play an important role at private equity (PE) portfolio companies. An interim CFO can be strategically added to a company’s team to navigate a merger or acquisition, implement new systems, or serve as a critical stop gap between incoming and outgoing CFOs. According to a 2019 survey by Deloitte, the

PORTLAND, OR, UNITED STATES, June 30, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ — In the CATEGORIES of C-Suite Executive Search, CFO Search Firms, Chief Financial Officer Executive Search, Healthcare, Financial Services – Banks & Credit Unions, and Executive Search for the REGIONS of the Pacific Northwest and West Coast, Cowen Partners | Executive Search + Consulting has been named

Growing business revenue is never easy. Even more difficult is achieving consistent revenuegrowth across the lifetime of a business. To address this challenge, a growing number ofcompanies are restructuring their leadership framework to add a C-level position, a Chief RevenueOfficer (CRO), to their team. What Is A Chief Revenue Officer? As the name suggests, a

An interim CFO serves as a stop gap between the incoming and outgoing CFO’s. Utilized for an unplanned CFO exit or a lengthy executive search, they are great for maintaining critical company processes and momentum. Our team of CFO Consultants have a vested interest in your success. Many have worked at respected companies such as

Issue $75M manufacturer required temporary help to improved cost accounting and inventory management processes. Solution Cowen Partners provided a manufacturing experienced CFO to work hand in hand with leadership to address poor inventory management, imprecise understanding of product costs, and delayed financial reporting. Issue $600M ecommerce retailer’s Corporate Controller gave two weeks’ notice. Solution Cowen

Issue $75M manufacturer required temporary help to improved cost accounting and inventory management processes. Solution Cowen Partners provided a manufacturing experienced CFO to work hand in hand with leadership to address poor inventory management, imprecise understanding of product costs, and delayed financial reporting. Issue $600M ecommerce retailer’s Corporate Controller gave two weeks’ notice. Solution Cowen

Cowen Partners is a national CFO search firm and has a strong record of finding qualified Chief Financial Officers for public, private and non-profit organizations. Below you will find CFO interview questions to identify a qualified CFO for your organization. Functional Experience Competency Area: Strategy Ask Questions About: Key strategic initiatives candidate has worked on How/whether candidate

It is often said that senior-level executives can “make or break” a company. There is no doubt that in an organization, every employee holds importance. However, a bad CEO or other executive can quickly take the company off-track and send it into a tailspin, which is why it’s extremely important to select the right candidates

Cowen Partners, a national executive search firm, announced today the winners of its 2022 Best-of Awards Program for personality tests. They have rounded up the best personality tests for employers to identify top job candidates, all while working remotely and avoiding face to face interviews. Are you still interviewing and on the hunt for the

Cowen Partners Recognizes the Top Video Interviewing Software Cowen Partners, a national executive search firm, announced today the winners of its 2020 Best-of Awards Program for video interviewing platforms. They have rounded up the best video interviewing software platforms for employers to interview top job candidates, all while working remotely and avoiding face-to-face interviews. Are

CEO turnover within private equity firms is shockingly high. According to a 2017 survey by AlixPartners, as many as 58 percent of private equity CEOs are replaced within the first two years of acquisition. Switching CEOs after two years can be detrimental to a PE firm’s return on investment given that most PE acquisitions are only held

Whether you are a business owner, CEO or hiring manager, you have probably been told at least once to hire an “A-player”. What is an A-player? They are the employees who always go above and beyond, have a champion’s mindset, and integrity. Who wouldn’t want to add an A-player to their team? After all, they

What Is Private Equity? Private equity is an alternate investment category, meaning an investment that’s not listed on the public exchange. Private equity has different investors and funds who invest directly in the private companies or participate in the takeovers of public companies, which result in the delisting of the public equity to use the

As Warren Buffett said, “Rule number one: Never lose money. Rule number two: Never forget rule number one.” Whether you are the CEO/founder of a startup or an older, privately held business, there may come a time where you and your colleagues are seeking outside capital. In an ideal world, you are doing so to

Operating partners are proven business leaders, functioning as either generalists or specialists, and have established track records of building shareholder value. They are usually more capable of developing strategies and leadership teams than a deal-oriented partner, and they are expected to spend more time levering their professional networks to successfully improve portfolio company value.[3]  They are

In today’s economic climate, C-level executives hold dynamic roles that can generate growth and success within an organization. Likewise, they also have the potential to decrease company market value when they aren’t fully capitalizing on their roles and responsibilities. Unfortunately, comfort and complacency among high-level executives are some of the biggest downfalls of 21st-century companies.

The structure and operations of sales departments have been changing across industries and sectors for decades. As with nearly every other facet of life, the rise and integration of technology have triggered significant consumer behavior changes. As any good salesperson would say, you need to sell in the way that clients are buying.  If you’re

When it comes to finding a suitable candidate for a senior position at your company, time is of the essence. Leave the position vacant for too long, and you risk unnecessary disruptions in operations. Fill it with an incompetent candidate, and the long-term cost will weigh heavily on the overall budget of the company. This

It is often said that senior-level executives can “make or break” a company. There is no doubt that in an organization, every employee holds importance. However, a bad CEO or other executive can quickly take the company off-track and send it into a tailspin, which is why it’s extremely important to select the right candidates

As the leader of a company, CEOs make a fundamentally large portion of corporate decisions, including management, operations, and sales development. In order to do that effectively, they need to have the best, updated forecasting resources to make sound decisions and be confident in the outcomes. This is vital throughout corporate growth, and the demands

Enterprise Sales to large and enterprise-sized businesses requires a different approach compared to small and medium-sized businesses. Why? Due to deal size and level of sophistication.   Only 0.32% out of 6,064,000 businesses in the U.S. qualify as large or enterprise sized businesses, according to the United States Census Bureau. They will also have more

As the leader of a company, CEOs make a fundamentally large portion of corporate decisions, including management, operations, and sales development. To do that effectively, they need to have the best, updated forecasting resources to make sound decisions and be confident in the outcomes. This is vital throughout corporate growth, and the demands for automation,

What is the Average Salary of a CFO? The Wall Street Journal published a list of the five highest-paid CFO’s late last year. The list cited high power executives, including Safra Catz at Oracle Corp. ($108.3 million), Ruth M. Porat at Alphabet Inc. ($47.3 million), Luca Maestri at Apple Inc. ($26.5 million), Michael Fleisher at Wayfair Inc.

Chief Revenue Officer: Growing business revenue is never easy. Even more difficult is achieving consistent revenue growth across the lifetime of a business. To address this challenge, a growing number of companies are restructuring their leadership framework to add a C-level position, a Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), to their team. What Is A CRO? As

Cowen Partners, a premier COO executive search firm, has put together the best chief operating officer (COO) interview questions for client companies. Chief Operating Officer Job Description The chief operating officer (COO) is a senior executive tasked with overseeing the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of a business. The COO typically reports directly to the chief executive officer (CEO) and is considered

The Chief Operating Officer job description below has been crafted by experienced COO headhunters who know how to source exceptional talent across various industries. Customize the following description to fit your company. Chief Operating Officer Job Description: About the Opportunity An experienced Chief Operating Officer or COO is needed to oversee our organization’s ongoing operations and procedures. As

Good is just not good enough. The search is incredibly important at the senior executive level. You are seeking a candidate with a rare mix of skills. You have a search for a senior executive position that you just created. You have to replace an under-performing executive while s/he is still in the role. You

Cowen Partners is a national executive search firm specializing in CFO searches. We have put together 100+ of the best CFO interview questions so that you can be confident in your hiring decision. These CFO interview questions have been crafted to work across several industries, making them highly effective for screening candidates for the roles

By Ash Wendt, President Cowen Partners Executive Search The chief revenue officer (CRO) is an executive-level position responsible for overseeing the revenue-generating functions of a business. Specifically, CRO responsibilities typically include sales, marketing, operations, and partnership strategies. A CRO leverages the power of both sales and marketing to optimize the customer experience and ultimately drives

Cowen Partners is a national CFO search firm and has put together a list of great CFO Interview Questions you can use to hire a qualified Chief Financial Officer. Functional Experience Competency Area: Strategy Ask Questions About: Key strategic initiatives candidate has worked on How/whether candidate has simplified a process within an organization How candidate has solved

Here are the top 5 CFO interview questions to ask, along with what responses to listen for, top CFO recruiters at Cowen Partners say. 1. Describe the most successful financial strategy you’ve implemented. What impact did it have? Reveals more about work history. 2. What goes into your risk/opportunity assessment process? How do you know

Top 5 CEO Interview Questions & Responses 1. Describe some of the strategies you’ve implemented at other companies. What impact did they have? Shows ability to strategize. 2. What has been your greatest career disappointment? What did you learn from it? Demonstrates a willingness to learn. 3. How do you prepare for major industry or

Cowen Partners Executive Search is a national executive search firm focusing on enterprise sales, including Chief Revenue Officers. Below is an average Chief Financial Officer Salary. According to PayScale, the average Chief Revenue Officer earns a salary of $198,408 per year. Location, Location, Location The salary range varies widely depending on location. Payscale says the average Chief Revenue

By Shawn Cole, President Cowen Partners Executive Search A chief financial officer (CFO) is a pivotal position within a company. A CFO is responsible for managing accounting and finance departments as well as overseeing the business’s financial operations. This role also ensures the company is compliant with all applicable laws and business policies. In addition

A controller is an individual who has responsibility for all accounting-related activities, including high-level accounting, managerial accounting, and finance activities, within a company. A financial controller typically reports to a firm’s chief financial officer (CFO), although these two positions may be combined in smaller businesses. The duties of a controller include assisting with the preparation of the operating budgets,